Rolls-Royce’s Marquetry: Hand-Crafted Masterpieces in Wood

It’s no secret that Rolls-Royce specializes in the creation of bespoke one-off cars for its clients. From the front to the back, inside and out, painstaking detail goes into every part of a Rolls-Royce, which is just one reason why their cars are so highly coveted.

But one detail that’s a subtle centerpiece to the interior’s entire motif is the wood veneers and inlays used on the doors, dashboard and panels throughout. These have featured anything from a simple logo to an incredibly detailed cityscape, and each takes an immense amount of time to create – often, as long as a month.

But as a gallery shared on the marque’s Facebook page Oct. 10 shares, that process is why they are recognized as the world-class designer that they are. The finest woods are selected from around the world, and patience is the key to the completion of their marquetry.

“We can make something as understated as a set of initials to something that uses over 200 different pieces of wood. With the varying veneers and grain directions, we can produce some remarkable effects,” explains Jim Fowles, a Rolls-Royce Woodshop Associate, on their website.